(Newser)
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London was engulfed yesterday by a smell so foul that Brits worried some giant sewer had overflowed, ABC News reports. But not to worry—the smell came from Europe, officials insisted. The Daily Mail quuickly blamed the French for "le stink," but it appeared to be caused by stale air blowing over from Germany, Belgium, and Holland, weather experts said. The stench, which is not a health hazard, is expected to abate, officials said.

"One doesn't know whether the origins of the smell are industrial or agricultural, but we think it's built up over time, since it was trapped in the atmosphere for a while," said one meteorologist. "That's why it's so intense."